Electric vaporizer



J. ROBINSON ELECTRIC VAPORIZER Filed Oct. 5, 1948 June 1'9 IN V EN TOR. (M550/7 ,W5/MMM 5MM @n M A TTORNE Y.

Patented June 3,- 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE 4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to electric vaporizers of thehand type Afor generating hot, medicated vapors for relieving the distress caused by alictions of the upper respiratory organs, such as sinusitus, catarrh and the common cold. The present Yapplication is a continuation in part of myl co-pending applications Serial No. 541,321, led June 21, 1944, now Patent N'o. 2,450,444, dated October 5, 1948, and Serial No, 707,289, filed November 1, 1946, now Patent No` 2,462,129, dated February 2, 1949. Among the objects is to provide a simplified heats-r, container and applicator unit which is adapted to sit vertically upright. and which may be removed from its source of electric current and used elsewhere at will. Another object, for electric vaporizers, is to provide `an improved. heater having terminals constructed to directly receive the slip-plug oi a current conducting electric cord, whereby the need ior a built in press switch for the vaporizer is. eliminated. A still further object is to provide an improved vaporizer which, in addition to providing hot medicated vapors, may be heated and held against the. frontal sin-us and antrum areas, eyes. and nose, for relief of head-aches and other distresses occurring in these regions.

Other objects. and novel features of my improvement are described in the following speciflcations, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical section, approximately twicev size, through my improved Vaporizer;

Figure 2 is a bottom View of. the heater, container and applicator unit shown in Figure 1, with, the adapter plug D removed;

Figure 3 is a plan View of the heater shown in Figure l;

Figure 4V is a side elevational View of an adapted plug of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a sectional detail showing the heater assembly modified so that the terminal screws I3-I4 directly receive a conventional electric cord set having a slip plug E.

Referring to the directions: My improvement comprises the heater, container and applicator unit A, a hollow base I, made of any suitable material, which contains and insulates the heater assembly B and the medicament container C, and a nasal piece 2, the latter being removably mounted, vand frictionally held, in an annular seat 2a on the upper end of the base I. The nasal piece is preferably, but not necessarily, provided with an extension or skirt 3 by which the currents of air that enter the vents 4 on inhalation are directed down into the container C where they entrain the hot vapors and carry them up through the nasal piece 2 into the nasal passage, the currents of air being heated in the journey. The container is secured in the base I in any suitable way as by tightly pressing it and its stop or retaining ange 5 into the base, or by molding itin place when the base is formed. The heater B is anchored in the base, preferably out of contact therewith to avoid scorching the base, by a lock washer or retaining device 6, Figures 1 and 2, having one -or more prongs 'l that are pressed orv crimped rigidly against the inner surfaces of the wallsv or ribs 8 of the base, Figures 1 and 2. These wallsv extend substantially below the heater to shield the user from contact with the heater and to dispose the lheater well above the surface of any object on which the base may be seated.

The heater B includes the usual resistance coil I0, suitably wound in grooves in the upper face of the heater ceramic I I, and insulated with respect to the container C by the mica disc I2.

A novel feature of my improved heater lies in equally spacing the screws I3|-4 laterally from approximately the vertical center of the heater. This advantageous arrangement is obtained by counter-sinking the head of one or both of the screws until it lies safely below the coil I0, and by passing the lead wire I5 of the inner end of the coil down through-the relatively small. opening I6, Figure 3, at the center of the ceramic and winding. it around the. .screw I3 and. under the terminal I'1., the other endk of.` the coil'being secured by the screw I4 and in circuit with the terminal I8.

As appears. in. Figures 1 and 2, the terminals IfI-I'll are counterparts. Each. includes a flat laterally extending part or flange I9 by which the terminal is threadingly or otherwise connected to its respective screw I3-I4. The ange I9 is turned upwardly at its outer end to form a lug 20 which projects into a slot 2| formed in the side of the ceramic II to prevent the terminal rotating on the ceramic into contact with the retaining device 6. The latter is mounted in a closely fitting transverse groove 22 in the bottom of the ceramic to prevent it shifting into contact with the terminals I'I-IB. Arranging the terminals on the ceramic in this effective manner permits the female and E of a conventional electric cord, Figure 5, or a similar current conducting adapted plug D, Figures 1 and 2, to be slipped over the unthreaded lower portions of the terminals II-I8 to direct current to the coil I0, and to be removed therefrom when it is desired to break the circuit. Thus each of the plugs D and E serve as a switch for making and breaking the electric circuit to the vaporizer, and for holding the generated vapors at the desired temperature.

The buyer is not required to purchase, at considerable expense, a special electric cord set when buying my improved vaporizer. A major economy results to him from the novel type of heater and terminal assembly employed wherein a simple adapted plug D is used to connect the heater, container and applicator unit to a current source, such as a lamp socket or any extension cord, that may be available. Heating my improved heater, container and applicator unit and holding it while hot against the afflicted parts, affords comfort and relief. It is well known that heat is especially effective in alleviating the distresses caused by sinusitus, head-aches, catarrh and the common cold. The heat storing capacity of the heater B, the shape and compactness of the applicator unit A, and the silken quality of its plastic surfaces, while hot, effectively adapts my improvement to this beneficial use.

What I claim is:

l. A heater for an electric vaporizer comprising, in combination, a ceramic base provided with grooves in its upper face, a resistance coil disposed in said grooves, securing devices connected with each end of said coil and extending through said ceramic base, said devices being arranged on opposite sides of the vertical centerline of said base and being approximately equally spaced laterally therefrom, the upper end of one of said devices being buried safely below said coil with the coil passing thereover, and a pair of terminals anchored to said ceramic base by said devices and extending below said base to slidingly receive an electric plug to place said coil in circuit with the ysource of current and to break such circuit.

2. A heater for an electric vaporizer comprising, in combination, a ceramic base having grooves formed in its upper face, a resistance coil in said grooves, said ceramic having a central opening which extends there-through and having also an outer opening arranged on either side of said central opening and extending through said ceramic, one of said outer openings being larger in diameter at the top than at the bottom, a

terminal device in each of said outer openings and having a head portion and a contact portion, the contact portion of both of said terminal devices being disposed below said ceramic and the head portion of one thereof being arranged in the larger diameter of said opening and lying substantially below the bottom of said coil and insulated therefrom by said ceramic, one end of said coil being anchored directly under the adjacent head of one of said terminal devices and the other end being passed through said central opening into engagement with the other terminal device at a point below the bottom of said ceramic, means for anchoring said terminal devices to said ceramic and said coil to said devices, means for locking said heater in the service position, and means for holding said heater locking means out of contact with said terminal devices.

3. An electric vaporizer for nasal inhalation use comprising an applicator having a hollow base, a container mounted in said hollow base, a removable cover for said container carried by said base and shaped to be received within a nostril opening, a heater also mounted in said hollow base in heat exchanging relation with said container, and terminals arranged directly on said heater to removedly receive the plug of an electric cord or the like source of electrical energy whereby the applicator can be connected to said source of electrical energy to activate the heater and also remove therefrom for use ndependently of any electrical attachment.

4. An electric vaporizer for nasal inhalation use comprising an applicator having a hollow base, a container mounted in said hollow base. a removable cover for said container carried by said base, shaped to be received within a nostril opening and provided with a central air outlet at the top and air inlets near the bottom, a heater also mounted in said hollow base in heat exchanging relation with said container, terminals arranged directly on said heater, an adapter plug, independent connector means carried by said adapter plug for receiving each of said terminals, terminals arranged on said adapter plug independently connected to said connector means and capable of receiving the plug of an electrical outlet or the like source of electrical energy whereby the applicator can be connected to said source of electrical energy to activate the heater and also removed therefrom for use independently of any electrical attachment.

JOSEPH ROBINSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the nle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,326,443 Cutting Dec. 30, 1919 1,393,751 Chapin Oct. 18, 1921 1,533,292 Woodson Apr. 14, 1925 1,801,538 Briscoe Apr. 21, 1931 2,283,952 Robinson May 26, 1942 2,448,388 Plummer Aug. 31, 1948 

